Category: Commemorate - Reading the Signs

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This Grave to be Closed Forever

18/1/2017

I do like visiting cemeteries. I do like mosaics.

It is not often that the two combine but they did so in Castlebar a few months back.

I had an early morning stroll around the cemetery. I stopped to ponder at the ceramic mosaic.

It appeared to be a triple grave but if anyone else was to be buried on the left section, it would mean destroying the mosaic.

Briefly I wondered as to whether that section was full; whether a decision was made that no more would be buried on that side; or even none buried at all on that side. Then I walked on and it was mentally filed away as a potential blog, sometime.

Over the Christmas break, I spotted a tweet from GraveyardDetective where he had spotted a headstone in Anfield Cemetery upon which was engraved the message that the grave was not to be reopened after the couple were buried.

It did add a sense of mystery and intrigue.

Why?

Liam Burke (near Castletownroche)

I have seen similar messages only relating to Irish Republican Memorials but to effect that gate/wall remains until Ireland is fully free. I have never seen such a message in a cemetery.

Donal Shinnick (near Mitchelstown)

Back to Anfield - Why? Why was it necessary to have engraved? Was it obeyed?

I have no answers so your imagination is probably as good as mine, if not better – let it loose on that for a while.

A final reminder to self – better upload those mosaics that I have spotted around Cork. Until then, a taster.

Terence MacSwiney d. 25.11.1920

25/10/2016

Crawford Art Gallery

Liberty Street

Ninety six years ago, Terence MacSwiney died after 74 days on hunger strike.

I spotted quite a few tweets and blogs to record this anniversary this morning.

Reason enough to update the blog page with images of the Seamus Murphy bust of the former Lord Mayor of Cork, and some artwork that I have seen in the recent past.

Looking at it all together, there is a lot out there to prompt one to remember Tenerce MacSwiney

Kyle Street

City Hall, Cork

Remembering the International Brigade

23/10/2016

A while back I learnt of a Jewish tradition to leave a small stone on a grave.

While our children swam up and down a pool for an hour, ET and I were chatting away, as chauffeuring fathers are wont to do. He related that one day, with work, he was in a cemetery with a colleague. They spotted a Jewish grave and both stooped down to select a stone to place on the grave – unknown to the other until then, both had Jewish ancestry.

This sparked an association with me. I always have a few stones in my pocket – replacement stones are regularly acquired on beach visits. They can be left on headstones. They can rattled as worry beads/comfort beads. The few mountains that I have summited each has a stone placed by me.

I cannot remember when I started having stones – but it is many years ago. Maybe it is a Camino thing. Maybe they are just a comfort-blanket.

On Friday, I read of the death of Stan Hilton, the last surviving British member of the International Brigade.

The previous day, I left Castlebar Peace Park with one stone less in my pocket. One was used to remember Tommy Patton and David Walsh who, like many others, did not return to Ireland.

Tommy Patton remembered at 5:12

Similar Faces, Similar Fates

10/10/2016

In April, 2015, I learned of Dún an Óir and the massacre of 600 men and women. This morning’s update from Stair na hÉireann reminded that the killings took place on this day in 1580.

In April 2015, I was on my conversational Irish weekend down in Buailtín (Ballyferriter). Waking early after the first night, I set off for a walk along Béal Bán ending up at Dún an Óir where another dot of information and knowledge was added to my limited reservoir.

My first thought upon seeing the monument was that the faces were very similar to those thah I had seen at Kilmallock and Kilfinnane. I had to go back to my photos to compare and still think there is a likeness.

All three memorials are to people who died hundreds of years ago. The dead were all killed and nearly all, if not all, beheaded. These may be factors in the similarity – 'what image records might actually exist' has now gone on the list of , ‘To Find Out More’.

In searching for some more information, it appears that Bishop O’Healy, the first bishop executed by the English, arrived into Smerwick Harbour in 1579 – one year before the soldiers who built the fort at Dún an Óir – I assume its remoteness and isolation, which I appreciated that morning, did make it attractive for unseen entry to Ireland.

Just like those at Dún an Óir, Bishop O’Healy was killed in the same year as his arrival in Smerwick.

Just like part-way up Mount Brandon, the rules of bilingual signage are tweaked slightly.

Seamus Murphy 1907 – 1975

2/10/2016

This morning’s update from Stair na hÉireann advised that on this day in 1975, Seamus Murphy died.

His work has prompted quite a number of blogs here before.

I have yet to upload and create a separate section of the work that I have photographed on my travels.

For now and for today, a slideshow of a selection of his work.

A Nod to the Blacksmith

15/9/2016

Early in my blogging life, I pondered why the deceased’s qualifications might be carved on a headstone. It was the first time that I had read such detail and it did cause me to wonder why.

The time that has passed since then has allowed me to ponder why; to consider my opinion on my own degree; and, to observe many other qualifications engraved commemorating a life passed.

It is nearly thirty years since I received a piece of paper with Latin writing conferring me and acknowledging me as the holder of a degree. It has spent nearly all of the intervening period at the bottom of a drawer of a filing cabinet.

I am not sure, at this remove, that I respected the education received or the challenge set to make the grade. I suspect that this is an influencing factor in me rarely appending my qualifications to my name. They are only rolled out when really expected by the recipient of the piece of paper with my signature.

I have never thought of the letters as one of the four words that might best describe me.

Now is definitely too late. We have eyes in the front of our heads to allow us to look forward only – not any other direction. I wonder what might have happened with a different study choice and C.A.O. selection.

Seeing so many headstones with qualifications proudly displayed, I am jealous of those who were challenged by their education and who rose to the challenge; jealous of those who are so proud of their achievement that they far from hide it; and jealous of those who enjoy their work.

I have seen very many such headstones and now nod in admiration.

There are two careers in particular which demand a longer nod. The challenge of a sculptor to prepare a memorial to another sculptor – possibly his master – must be huge. On my Seamus Murphy trail, I have noted that he made the headstone to his sculptor father-in-law. ’No pressure there, then’ as the saying goes.

My admiration for the craft of the Blacksmith has been the subject of more than one or two blogs. The recording of ‘Blacksmith’ on a headstone always prompts a serious nod of appreciation and respect.

On Tuesday, in Abbeystrowry Cemetery, the headstone prompted a smile at the appropriateness of the perimeter treatment of the plot – the craft and skill did not die with James Hourihan.

I like.

Abbeystrowry Cemetery, Skibbereen

Joseph Higgins headstone, Curraghkippane by SM

Cinema Fire - 48 dead

5/9/2016

Last April was the first time hearing of the Dromcollogher Cinema Disaster.

Maybe it is a sign of my own vintage – taking fifty years to hear of such a human tragedy.

I still remember waking up on a February morning to do some study for my Inter Cert, turning on the radio and hearing of the Stardust Disaster.

As one who would have been with my grandfather to many different sports grounds, watching the F.A. Cup semi-final at Hillsborough unfold on the television is well engraved on my own grey surface – on our recent visit to Liverpool, I was happy that my nine-year old accompanied me while we went to stand and remember at the memorial at Anfield – just a week after the inquest jury findings.

In May 1985, four of us should have been studying for our second year exams – results subsequently proved that 75% of us needed extra study time. Study lost out to a trip to the beach at Clogherhead. I still remember heading through the pub door with the Bradford City fire disaster on the television – I thought of how many timber stands I had stood to watch matches and get out of the rain.

As blogged previously, I first learned of the collapse of the Carmody Hotel from a sign. Last April, taking a road not previously travelled and involving a decent detour on the trip to Baile an Fheirteártaigh / An Buailtín, I stopped in Dromcollogher and was photographing a plaque at the old co-operative when spotted by JOD.

I explained my interest in signs and plaques and was then educated for the first time as to the Cinema Fire – and the memorials at the Library and the church. A tweet this morning from Irish History Links reminded me of the event.

The Dromcollogher Cinema Fire claimed 48 lives – the same number of fatalities as the Stardust in 1981.

The fire at the Dromcollogher Cinema happened 90 years ago – 5th September, 1926.

Who is TG?

20/8/2016

Clara, Co. Offaly

More than once or twice, I have mentioned that I am on a bit of a Seamus Murphy trail – looking for and admiring his work at very many locations.

When in Tullamore recently, I had to travel the extra twelve miles to Clara to appreciate and photograph the headstone erected to remember William Cochrane Mercier.

I am getting better at recognising his headstones – the thickness, the stone, the profile. The lettering, the edge detailing and the distinctive red engraving are generally confirmation only. The sculptor’s name is regularly observed for my own particular game – R.H.A., A.R.H.A. or no letting; Murphy, O Murcaḋa, or O Murchú. Each of these alternatives are engraved on different works.

Since I learned that most engraving is now computerised, I have been keeping an eye open for what appears to my eye to be hand-engraving. I have spotted a few by Ken Thompson in graveyards. I do like the images of @PoorFrankRaw.

In the graveyard of St. Brigid’s Church in Clara, I spotted a headstone which appeared to be hand engraved and detailed. It had what appeared to be the initials of the craftsman – TG.

TG has now gone onto my ‘To Find Out More’ list.

Clara, Co. Offaly

Clara, Co. Offaly

Remembering The Seanchaí

11/8/2016

2015

I have been to Gneeveguilla only once. Entering the village as the light was fading on a lazy Sunday evening, I never expected that it would inspire a streak of inquisitiveness that has led to very many dots of historical information that are now connected in my web of a brain. Neither did I expect that a year later, the visit would prompt a visit to the theatre for a very enjoyable performance.

Leaving my family behind on the Dingle Peninsula to enjoy a warm summer week, I returned to Cork to continue the struggle for the legal tender. I diverted to Gneeveguilla, a detour promted by a previous blog when I learned of a ‘Gneeve’.

The detour was profitable in feeding my hunt for grottos and postboxes before I arrived at the village where I was brought back to many evenings watching television in my youth. I grew up within 15 minute walk of Patrick St yet the stories of The Seanchaí were always watched and enjoyed.

A month later, visiting friends, I spotted The Apprentice on their bookshelf and it went on to my ‘To Find & Buy’ list – within months it was taken off that list, as were two other Éamon Kelly books.

2016

Within the last couple of months, the three books have been read and appreciated. There were not enough flysheets to accommodate the very many notes that I scrawled to remind me as to possible future (or past) connections to add to the web of knowledge. I prefer the flysheets to notes in the margin – time spent finding the page with the margin note has taught me that lesson.

There was quite a number of nuggets about people and places that I had blogged previously – Jerome Connor’s statue that he spotted in Washington; acting in the plays of T.C. Murray and adapted from Seumus O’Kelly; and, the tradition of telling the bees of family news to which Mikel Murfi first introduced me.

My interest in matters relating to Seamus Murphy was also stirred in that I learned that there was a one-man play adapted from his book Stone Mad and that Seamus Murphy believed that the lettering on Nelson’s Column was the best example in Ireland – I sense Donal Fallon’s book moving onto that list.

Gneeveguilla, Co. Kerry

Cork Arts Theatre

To Find Out More List

The three books have provided little bits of knowledge about so many things that I need to find out more (ever connecting).

I have enjoyed a pint in The Blue Bull in Sneem. It was Éamon Kelly who educated that The Blue Bull was a Synge Play.

I will need to return to Gneeveguilla to photograph the plaque to Mick Sullivan who was shot by Black & Tans while Éamon Kelly was in the adjacent school – the list of Civil War and War of Independence memorials ever growing.

There are many traditions that intrigued, sounded lovely or just demanded further exploring – families joined in butter; overnight fasting prior to receiving Holy Communion; family owning a church pew so those standing at back did not have funds to purchase and pay rent on pew; stopping the clock upon a death, as seen in Jean deFlorette; and the giving of a disease to another similar to leaving cloth on a rag tree at a Holy Well.

It also introduced words to me, many appear derived for Irish. These will keep me going for some time. The list is below but any education as to ‘gripe’; ‘hoult’; ‘fakah’;or, ‘roiseters’ would be welcome.

A Visit To The Theatre

This week I spotted that Jack Healy had a play based upon the stories of Éamon Kelly at The Cork Arts Theatre on Camden Quay.

Yesterday lunchtime was a magnificent hour spent listening, smiling, laughing and remembering.

More than halfway through the show, I was reminded as to one of my flysheet notes in The Journeyman. There had been quite a few different stories. Éamon Kelly in The Journeyman was writing of ‘In My Father’s Time’ – ‘We found that a number of stories told one after the other could sound episodic. There had to be a changing relationship between the pieces, and the links had to be carefully thought out to make seamless the fabric, which we hoped would be colourful and entertaining’.

My flysheet note was that the book, unlike The Apprentice which I found much more interesting, was failing to flow. Fair play to Jack Healy. With the benefit of reflection on my hour or so in the auditorium, the different aspects and stories flowed; and, the knitting of the stories was brilliant and of a manner that brought the occasion up to date.
I had heard or read of a few of the stories but the delivery, verbally and with actions, made them a new experience – I laughed even when I knew the punchline.

It is in the Cork Arts Theatre only until tomorrow night but is intended to travel later in the year.

I do recommend.

Graveyard Neighbours

8/8/2016

Thomas Wallace, 1st Cork Brigade, Old I.R.A.

Midleton, Co Cork

There was quite an amount of comments about the Remembrance Wall at Glasnevin Cemetery. I read of many objections to the listing together of those who fought on both sides – those who fought against each other.

There is a possibility that one that died in Easter 1916 is listed on the wall with the name of the person who killed him on the same wall. The killing may have been deliberate or unintentional as the wall also lists those who were not involved in the fighting, innocent bystanders.

At the time, a seed was planted to do a blog on the neighbouring headstones that I spotted in Rathcooney Cemetery and Midleton Cemetery, both in Co. Cork. When I spotted these I was reminded of Christy Moore’s Cabaret.

“When the elections are all over we’ll be pushing up clover

I tell ye everyone in the graveyard votes the same.”
Christy Moore

W. Froyne d 1915.06.24

Rathcooney, Co. Cork

M O'Callaghan d. 1918.10.28

W. Buckley d. 1922.09.26

That seed has taken some time to germinate. The growth spurt prompted by a tweet from Luke Portess as to similar bedfellows in Glasnevin.

I remembered a talk from Neil Richardson at Ennis Bookclub Festival being surprised at the very large percentage of Irishmen in the British Army at the time of World War One – as Ireland was a part of the British Empire, they were also fighting for or defending their country.

At the launch of ‘The Immortal Deed of Michael O’Leary’, Danny Morrison spoke of his grandfather joining the British Army in 1917 and that very many Irishmen joined on the understanding that victory would lead to freedom for Ireland (text here – well worth a read)

The seed has been a long time in bearing fruit but I am thinking that these neighbouring souls could actually have had the same hopes – just a different way of getting there. If one had not died in World War I, they might even have fought together some years later.

We will never know…..

General Tom Barry - a Kerryman

5/7/2016

I have spotted many plaques to General Tom Barry – where he lived, where he fought, and where he is buried.

One common denominator is that they are all in County Cork.

Last weekend, the daily updates from Stair na hÉireann listed the anniversary of the death of Tom Barry (2nd July,1980 ) and also his birth (1st July, 1897). What I hadn’t realised was that the birth was in Co. Kerry.

The 1901 census confirms that Thomas B. Barry, then 3 years old, was resident at house 35 in Langford in Killorglin, Co. Kerry. His mother is listed as head of house. His father is not mentioned on that form so I assumed that he may be at the R.I.C. barracks, where he then worked – retiring a few while later and returning with family to West Cork.

But the only other Thomas listed for Killorglin that night was not his father –so maybe he did manage to opt out for a while. Or maybe I need to search further.

Reverting to Google streetview, it appears that, unlike so many places in Co Kerry,

Killorglin has not erected a plaque to record the residency of the young Tom Barry.I hope to visit in the coming weeks and visit to confirm.

That is not to say that Kerry is short of republican memorial plaques

First in the Graveyard

3/7/2016

Times past were most definitely different to society today. Recently I was reminded of this in my reading and in a visit to a cemetery.

Adjacent to the wall of St Patrick’s Church cemetery in Bandon is a headstone which records the first burial in the cemetery. When I read the headstone, I was thinking that the power of the church over its community in 1881 was greater than today.

It was probably a great honour to be the first burial. I would not be surprised if there was a payment to the parish priest, over and above burial fee, for such an honour.

A few weeks back, I finished The Apprentice by Éamon Kelly, the seanachie, He recounted details of having to pay the parish priest for a pew in the church and also an annual rental fee.

If a parishioner did not pay, they were welcome in God’s church but only to stand or kneel at the back.

Last week a tweet from GraveyardDective about a plaque recording the first burial in a cemetery reminded me of the Bandon headstone.

Leaving the graveyard that day, I made a mental note to visit some newer graveyards to check whether they record the first burial. I suspect not. I also expect that the market willing to pay a premium for being the first is low – but I could well be wrong.

“We didn’t have a family pew in the church. They were for the well-to-do farmers, shopkeepers and teachers, who could afford to buy a new pew and pay the yearly rent for it. Some of those seats were never full, yet outsiders never sat in them and I don’t think they would be welcome. The family pew was private property in a public place. One year the parish priest put up the rental and family, thinking the charge was dear enough, refused to pay. The parish priest ordered them out of the seat. They refused and the priest had the pew taken out and put behind the church, where in the end it rotted. The family never went to Mass in that church again during the parish priest’s reign, but drove all of the way to the friary in town. They never spoke to the parish priest after. Even when he came to the stations in their house they didn’t speak, because they felt that he had humiliated them before their neighbours and friends. There was a large space behind the seats and those of little property or none stood or knelt there, the men on the gospel side and the women at the side of the epistle. It was strange that among the poor there was segregation, while in the pews husbands sat with their wives.”
The Apprentice – Éamon Kelly (b. 1914)

Remembering Rocky & Cookie

26/6/2016

I do not recall seeing a plaque with such a message before.

I do keep my eye out for plaques and messages but it was by chance that I was on the inside of the footpath and dogs were on road-side that allowed me to spot this memorial – it is on house side of a front garden wall, a reminder every time leaving the house.

There are many headstones that I have read that do not have as much affection and emotion….

A Local Hero - Sonia - cast

21/6/2016

“All I knew was that I intended to be famous and have a statue put up to me near that of Father Matthew, in Patrick Street. Father Matthew was called the Apostle of Temperance, but I didn’t think much of temperance. So far our town hadn’t a proper genius and I intended to supply the deficiency’

Frank O’Connor – the Genius (from My Oedipus Complex & Other Stories)

Frank O’Connor’s books of short stories are all about. They could be at work, bedside, in car, or, best of all, occupying inside pocket. The short stories are visited in coffee shops, on bus or just chilling.

A while back, I was reading ‘The Genius’ and the comment desiring to be remembered in a statue got ingrained upstairs as I could not recall any recent commemorative statue in Cork city to anyone still alive at the time.

The following week, watching the Late Late Show, Sonia O’Sullivan admitted (at 0:18:30) to glancing at the statue by James McLoughlin in Cobh when on early morning runs.

I appear to be on an athletic theme at present so reasons enough to share the statue in Cobh.

Enjoy.

All Round Gaelic Champion of Ireland - 1895 & 1896

20/6/2016

ALL ROUND GAELIC CHAMPION OF IRELAND 1895

Not for the first time, a trip to the cemetery has led to learning and connecting of historical dots of information.

The cemetery in question is at St Bartholomew’s Church in Kinneigh, Co Cork – the location of the only round tower with an hexagonal base, as well as headstone commemorating O’Mahony Mór.